"With 2 Million Won a Month, Koreans Are Better" Debate Over Filipino Domestic Helpers

Minimum Wage Application Confirmed, Monthly Fee Increased by 2.06 Million KRW
Only English Test Passers Selected... Cheaper than Native Sitters

The government’s plan to officially deploy Filipino domestic workers (housekeepers) starting this September has sparked mixed opinions. Initially, the intention was to offer services at an affordable cost of around 1 million KRW per month, but with the application of the minimum wage, the cost has risen to 2.06 million KRW per month, raising questions about the program’s effectiveness.

However, since Filipino domestic workers possess a considerable level of English proficiency, there is also a forecast that they could provide childcare services at a price lower than that of "English kindergartens" (early childhood English academies). According to the Ministry of Employment and Labor and Seoul City on the 26th, the Philippine government recently began the selection process for domestic workers to work in Korea. Applicants aged between 24 and 38 are selected after verifying their experience, language skills, and criminal records.

An adult holding a child's hand. Stock photo unrelated to the article content.
Photo by Jo Yongjun jun21@

The 100 individuals selected for the pilot project will enter Korea with an Employment Permit System (E-9) visa starting at the end of July, undergo four weeks of cultural education, and then be deployed for six months from September to February next year. They will be employed by government-certified agencies and work on a commuting basis to households. Priority will be given to dual-income couples in their 20s to 40s, single-parent families, and families with multiple children. The program is planned to expand to 500 workers next year and 1,000 by 2026.

The need for foreign domestic and childcare helpers has been consistently raised. Until now, foreigners who could work as domestic helpers in Korea were limited to ethnic Koreans from China (Joseonjok) who could obtain an Overseas Korean (F-4) visa, unless they were permanent residents or marriage immigrants. Due to supply not meeting demand, government-provided childcare services have been highly competitive, with waiting times ranging from one week to three months on average.

The cost of services has also increased. Currently, commuting care services cost at least 15,000 KRW per hour, while live-in care ranges from 3.5 million to 4.5 million KRW per month (Joseonjok workers earn 2.5 to 3.5 million KRW per month).

Yoon (29), who gave birth last month and is currently employing a childcare helper, said, "The cost for using the service from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. for 15 days is 2,064,000 KRW. With government support, I actually pay 570,000 KRW, but if we had to pay the full amount ourselves, we wouldn’t have been able to afford it."

Professor Kim Hyun-chul of the Department of Economics at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology stated at a forum held last July, "Considering that the median income of middle-class women in their 30s is 3.2 million KRW, the usage fee should be around 1 million KRW per month to be beneficial."

However, unlike Hong Kong and Singapore, Korea’s ratification of the International Labour Organization (ILO) 'Discrimination Convention' has become a stumbling block. According to ILO Convention No. 111, employment systems cannot discriminate based on race, skin color, or country of origin.

Accordingly, Filipino domestic workers are subject to the same minimum wage as Korean nationals. If they work 40 hours a week, wages must exceed 2.06 million KRW per month. However, according to the selection announcement, the Korean and Philippine governments guarantee that Filipino domestic workers will work at least 30 hours per week. Applying this year’s minimum wage, the minimum monthly wage for domestic workers will be 1.54 million KRW.

With wages nearly doubling from the initially promised amount, some dissatisfaction has emerged. Kwon (32), who is raising a 4-year-old and a 2-year-old, pointed out, "I thought the affordable fee was the merit, but even that has disappeared." Jo (35), who has a 5-year-old daughter, said, "At that price, I would rather reduce working hours and hire a Korean domestic worker."

However, Filipino domestic workers legally employed in Korea this time must have certified English proficiency. According to the Philippine government’s announcement for selecting domestic workers to work in Korea, applicants must pass two tests.

The first test is the Employment Permit System Korean Language Proficiency Test (EPS-TOPIK), and the second test consists of a physical fitness test and interviews in Korean and English. The English interview is conducted on a pass/fail basis without scoring.

According to Kang Deuk-gu, a member of the National Assembly’s Education Committee from the Democratic Party, the average monthly tuition fee for early childhood English academies was 1.24 million KRW last year. Sejong had the highest fee at 1.703 million KRW, followed by Seoul at 1.441 million KRW. By hiring a Filipino domestic worker, parents can expose their children to English in daily life at a cost similar to that of early childhood English academies. Additionally, they can receive services related to cleaning, laundry, and cooking.

There is also research indicating that Filipino domestic workers help improve children’s English skills. In Hong Kong, domestic helpers from the Philippines and Indonesia live with families. Professor Kim Hyun-chul cited local research at a forum hosted by Seoul City last July, stating, "Children living with domestic helpers from English-speaking countries (the Philippines) have higher English scores than other children."

Kim (33), who is expecting to give birth in December, said, "Even now, compared to Korean sitters, it seems about 1 to 1.5 million KRW cheaper," adding, "Since they can also teach English to the child, I would like to apply if I get the chance."